Sarah Wolfe, from Morgan Stanley's U.S. Economics Team, and Simeon Gutman, an Equity Analyst, discuss back-to-school shopping trends and their implications. They analyze the relationship between back-to-school and holiday spending, predict holiday shopping trends based on early indications, and highlight challenges to surpass the growth of the 2022 holiday season. They also delve into consumer behavior, specifically in the electronics category, and explore the impact of e-commerce on back-to-school shopping trends.

Morgan Stanley analysts discuss how technology is reshaping retail's future, highlighting automation, AI, and retail media. They delve into generative AI's impact on targeted advertising and customer service, emphasizing how large retailers are leading the tech investment. Retail media, AI, and automation are revolutionizing the industry and shifting advertising budgets to new platforms.

Analysts discuss ongoing rise in food prices in the US, impact on consumers; grocery prices stabilize, dining costs still high. Factors contributing to higher food prices dissected - commodity costs, labor, transportation. Unexpected surge in food prices explored due to supply chain disruptions, labor costs. Insightful discussion on inflation trends, upcoming indicators for possible relief.